Lady Natasha Innesford, four years a widow, still cannot stir herself to live. Her life died with Seth.

Lord Raymond Marblethorpe, oldest son of Lady Elisa Farleigh, has loved the mysterious Susanna forever, but she can never be his.

Can they learn to let go of the past and love again?

Soul of Sin is the first book in the spin-off series following the historical romances of Scandalous Sirens. Scandalous Scions brings together the members of three great families, to love and play under the gaze of the Victorian era’s moralistic, straight-laced society.

I do not know how this woman does it! I absolutely loved this book.

Excerpt

Chapter One

London, England, 1858.

There was always a handful of people visiting West of London and Westminster Cemetery, every time Natasha returned there herself. If it were not for their black crepe and bombazine, it would be easy to lapse into thinking the visitors were strolling through a park, for the cemetery was garden-like in its appointments, with shady arbors, elaborate family crypts and well-clipped lawns.

No one spoke to anyone. That was the other difference. They were all strangers, there for a common purpose, but still quite alone. Not even the civil nod of acknowledgement that strangers would exchange in Hyde Park was used here.

Natasha missed the path to the Innesford family crypt, and lost her way. It had been so long since she had last visited, she could not remember how to find the crypt. Her discomfort rose.

When she found the crypt, her cheeks were hot with mortification, and she was slightly breathless from hurrying. She used the big iron key to unlock the gate and stepped into the cool, dim stillness of the hexagonal crypt. Her boots crunched on the tiles, as grit shifted beneath her feet. It sounded loud in the small, marble-lined room, and she flinched. She was disturbing the dead.

Seth was at the back, in the new wall. She slipped off her glove and pressed her hand against the carved plate.

Richard Seth Williams18th Earl of Innesford.1804 A.D.—1854 A.D.

“Oh, Seth,” she whispered, her eyes stinging with tears. “Four years since you were taken from me. It has been a year since I came to see you. I meant to come sooner. I miss you every day. I still forget sometimes that you are gone. I find myself starting to speak to you. Then I remember you are not there and it makes my chest ache.”

There was no answer, of course. She wished for a moment she was spiritual enough to believe that Seth watched over her and if she prayed hard enough and listened with a pure heart, he would speak to her. Other widows often claimed they had entire conversations with their departed husbands. They would consult with them on all major decisions in their life. The shades of their loved ones would continue to direct their lives from beyond the grave. It would be wonderful to be able to visit Seth eagerly and return to her life filled with the contentment and peace that other widows derived from standing at the foot of their husbands’ graves.

Instead, Natasha always stood here in the silence and felt confusion and a roil of emotions that all seemed wicked and inappropriate. Anger was one of the strongest. She sometimes wanted to beat her fist against the silent headstone and rage at the Fates for doing this to her and to Seth. Despair and grief and sadness were always there.

But more and more often, lately, what she felt was a terrible, fear-inducing loneliness.

Seth had been a pragmatic man. Seven years a convict had stripped from him any belief in divine justice and he would have laughed at those widows who talked to their dead husbands. Natasha, though, was beginning to understand why they might. It was comforting to think that Seth might be lingering in some other plane and watching over her. Although if that were true, then Seth would be caustically advising her to give up such nonsensical ideas and go put on that blue dress he liked so much….

Her tears spilled. She hung her head.

“I don’t know what to do…” she whispered. “I’m so busy, Seth. There are never enough hours in the day. The twins are turning into women right in front of me. Lisa Grace is nine…nine, Seth. She is going to be tall. She is already up to my shoulder. And Daniel’s voice has broken. He’s a baritone. I know you would laugh about that. You’d have given him brandy to celebrate and perhaps a cigar. Neil is in his last year at Eton. Lilly…” She sighed. “Lilly seems content. Oh, and Cian starts at Cambridge this year. I decided…I hope you don’t mind, but I thought he should finish his education, even though he’s already taking over the management of his titles and the estates…”

She reached under the lace veil and wiped her cheeks. “Every time someone calls me the Dowager Countess, I look over my shoulder to see who it is they’re addressing. Then I realize that it is me they are talking to.” She laid her hand back on the stone, her damp fingers marking it. “I don’t feel like a dowager anything.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the stone. “I just feel so alone.”

The silence was her answer. No ghost whispered. Nor did the wind stir to shift leaves over the paths outside.

When the mystery of Susanna is unexpectedly solved…it’s a moment of crackling tension.

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Soul of Sin

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3 reviews

Oct 26, 2018

by Joan on Soul of Sin

What a wonderful story. I so enjoy historical romances the history is great and the romance between Raymond and Susanna was great. Oh to find a love like this. Thank you.

Oct 22, 2018

by Mae on Soul of Sin

Soul of sin

Thix book , was so good the only thing wrong it wasn't long enough zo i woncer is their going to be #2 a follow up i loved the whole book

Hi Mae:

Thank you for your review and I'm so glad you enjoyed the story. Just FYI, there are eight other books in the series (so far), and more to follow. The next book is VALOR OF LOVE, which you can find here: https://tracycooperposey.com/valor-of-love/. The rest of the series is listed here: https://tracycooperposey.com/scandalous-scions/. -- t.

Sep 20, 2018

by Judy Medbury on Soul of Sin

Soul ofSin

Ye I am human I really loved this book, with “Susanna” andRaymond. It has taken me several days to read, because with my Facebook reading the battery dies and I wait for another day. Not that I would live in those days , but I enjoy the complexities of England in the days following the war with Napotleons time. It seems so far removed from today. I wforward to reading more of your books now that I have finished this one. I did not find it too over sexed,